IEK Overseas

Open European Races  -  Cross-country

In the same way that club members in various club training squads develop wider skills by racing in different Open meetings/races in the summer, some of our middle distance runners target overseas Open events to taste the way Europeans do their cross-country

Differences between UK and European races

• European cross-country races are much shorter, especially the younger age groups
• European Age groups are ALL by tge easily-understood "year of birth"

2009  -  Dour, near Mons  (15 February)

15 Young IEK made the trip to Dour, crossing the Channel by Shuttle (Tunnel) the day before, then stepping out for evening meal in a swanky restaurant booked by Steve Carter

On race day, under-15s & younger did one lap (mildly muddy course with just one short steep incline - everyone else did 2 laps, except Josh Freemont (u-20) who did 3 laps and Seniors did 4 laps.

There were also short races for 5, 6 an 7 year-olds

Results - Dour Lotto Open Cross-country (February 2009)

To view slideshow of this outing, click the photo

2010  -  Brussels  (20 December)

14 Young IEK went to Brussels, again, crossing the Channel the day before by the Tunnel and stayed in the same hotel as Elite Athletes like Sergei Lebid 9 times European Men's Champion.

They also met the legendary Belgian Gaston Roelants, the 4-times world cross-country champion and Olympic steeplechase champion

Snow was moderate but nowhere near the blizzards which had disrupted the previous year's event in this city dominated by the spectacular Atomium

To view slideshow of this outing, click the photo